“When Trumpets Fade” quotes

“- Lieutenant Colonel: I think you need a rest.
- Capt. Roy Pritchett: Everybody here needs a rest, sir.
- Lieutenant Colonel: Captain, this conversation was over the first time we had it and it is just as over now.”
Dwight Yoakam - Lieutenant Colonel
Martin Donovan - Capt. Pritchett

“- Capt. Roy Pritchett: Congratulations Private, you're a sergeant now.
- Pvt. David Manning: I am absolutely the wrong man!
- Capt. Roy Pritchett: You've managed to stay alive for a week: that's something the rest of your platoon couldn't do. Call me crazy, but from where I'm standing, that qualifies you for the job!”
Martin Donovan - Capt. Pritchett
Ron Eldard - Manning

“Get one thing fucking straight, man. There is no hang-back now. You got a glob of greenies looking at you to keep 'em alive and if I find out that one of them answers the last muster because of your yellow streak, I will personally put a bullet in your brain.”

Dylan Bruno - Sgt. Talbot

“- Capt. Roy Pritchett: You gotta pull your platoon back to this side of the river.
- Sgt. Talbot: You expect me to get these guys to leave cover in this shit?
- Capt. Roy Pritchett: If you don't get that platoon to move, you're all gonna be dead 10 minutes, now haul ass!”
Martin Donovan - Capt. Pritchett
Dylan Bruno - Sgt. Talbot

“- Pvt. David Manning: Shit flows down.
- Medic Chamberlain: Goddamn right. Regiment wipes its ass with Battalion, Battalion wipes its ass clean with Company, and we're left to lick the shit off of them. Mark my words, they're gonna keep sending us in until the whole fucking division is gone.”
Ron Eldard - Manning
Frank Whaley - Chamberlain - Medic

“- Pvt. David Manning: What is your name?
- Doug Despin: Doug... Despin.
- Pvt. David Manning: Well, Doug Despin, this is the second time I'm telling you to shut up.”
Ron Eldard - Manning
Dan Futterman - Despin

“Sergeant Manning has an excellent innate understanding of battlefield conditions. His ability to react to aggressive situations is unmatched by anybody in the company. His disrespect for authority is unable to hide his ability to lead. I strongly suggest that he be considered for the next platoon leader when and if the situation presents itself.”
Dwight Yoakam - Lieutenant Colonel

“- Pvt. David Manning: The way I see it, we've got two choices. We can settle for being slaughtered in the push tomorrow, or we can take those tanks out tonight.
- Sgt. Talbot: There's no way in hell company will approve that.
- Pvt. David Manning: This isn't about company. If we do it, it's just us. We'll slip past the lines unchecked, just...” (continue)(continue reading)
Ron Eldard - Manning
Dylan Bruno - Sgt. Talbot

“- Pvt. David Manning: Fucking greenie.
- Capt. Roy Pritchett: You better get used to him, he's your new platoon leader.
- Pvt. David Manning: He'll be dead in a week.”

Ron Eldard - Manning
Martin Donovan - Capt. Pritchett

“You don't think about it, you don't hesitate, you just do it, you understand? Otherwise, you're gonna go home to your mama in a box, alright?”

Frank Whaley - Chamberlain - Medic

“- Pvt. David Manning: I'm not gonna make it. I'm losing too much blood.
- Warren Sanderson: You're gonna make it. You're gonna owe me big, lieutenant.
- Pvt. David Manning: I'm gonna owe you shit.”

Ron Eldard - Manning
Zak Orth - Pvt. Warren Sanderson

“- Pvt. David Manning: Why do they leave them there like that?
- Medic Chamberlain: Fucking brass. They don't wanna waste the trucks on the dead, they still got more guys to haul in for the slaughter.
- Pvt. David Manning: No more room in hell.”

Ron Eldard - Manning
Frank Whaley - Chamberlain - Medic

“- Pvt. David Manning: If I can help you in any way without endangering my own life, I won't hesitate. But I'm not taking a bullet for anybody!
- Lt. Lukas: That's not good enough.
- Pvt. David Manning: That's as good as it gets.”
Ron Eldard - Manning
Timothy Olyphant - Lt. Lukas

“- Medic Chamberlain: Tanks on our right side, 88 millimeter cannons on our left side. This fucking army.
- Pvt. David Manning: Fucking army.”
Frank Whaley - Chamberlain - Medic
Ron Eldard - Manning

“- Pvt. David Manning: I was a private, three days ago.
- Captain Zenek: This isn't up for discussion, Lieutenant. You've got no choice in this. And as it is... neither do I.”

Ron Eldard - Manning
Bobby Cannavale - Capt. Zenek

“August 1944. The outcome of the Second World War appeared to be no longer in doubt. Paris was liberated. After four years of fighting, victory against the Germans seemed assured. Since the Normandy landings, American and Allied forces had battled their way across northern Europe, and pushed the German enemy to within its own homeland.”
Peter Thomas - Himself - News Footage Narrator

“- Bobby: It hurts... Don't pick me up anymore.
- Pvt. David Manning: Listen Bob, if I leave you, ain't nobody gonna find you. You're gonna die out here.
- Bobby: Just sit here for a bit. I am dying.
- Pvt. David Manning: We can't sit here.”

Jeffrey Donovan - Bobby
Ron Eldard - Manning

“Last time I had a hot meal was 5 days ago. Since then my entire platoon has been wiped out. That's why you're here. Just a bunch of guys in line to get shot so they can bring in a bunch of other guys. See how that works? Now once you get that through your fucking head, maybe you'll realize how important a hot meal could be.”
Ron Eldard - Manning

“- Medic Chamberlain: What's your name?
- Warren Sanderson: Warren.
- Medic Chamberlain: Welcome to the death factory, Warren.”
Frank Whaley - Chamberlain - Medic
Zak Orth - Pvt. Warren Sanderson

“Hey dude, give me that cigarette! See, only assholes smoke!”

Devon Gummersall - Lonnie

“- Capt. Roy Pritchett: You can stop looking for your platoon. They didn't make it.
- Pvt. David Manning: What?
- Capt. Roy Pritchett: Looks like you were the only one who made it out. Your lucky day.
- Pvt. David Manning: Lucky day?
- Capt. Roy Pritchett: You're alive.
- Pvt. David Manning: ...Am I?”
Martin Donovan - Capt. Pritchett
Ron Eldard - Manning

“- Lieutenant Colonel: You hold that bridge Captain! That's an order!
- Capt. Roy Pritchett: I've already lost thirty men!
- Lieutenant Colonel: This isn't a debate, Pritchett! You hold that goddamn bridge!
- Capt. Roy Pritchett: This is suicide!”
Dwight Yoakam - Lieutenant Colonel
Martin Donovan - Capt. Pritchett

“- Pvt. David Manning: Goddamn you, stick with it, Bobby! Fucking dig in, Bobby! Come on, whose tough as nails?
- Bobby: Me, sir.
- Pvt. David Manning: That's right, you're tough. Tough as what?
- Bobby: Nails.
- Pvt. David Manning: That's right, now you say it.”
Ron Eldard - Manning
Jeffrey Donovan - Bobby

“- Medic Chamberlain: Yesterday you were pulling for a section eight. Now you wanna lead some kind of renegade force, against the German tanks.
- Pvt. David Manning: The question is how do we stay alive. What you think of me doesn't really matter.”
Frank Whaley - Chamberlain - Medic
Ron Eldard - Manning